1
as in to commence
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
she began walking to work for exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to start
to come into existence
the storm began late in the day and lasted all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
the religious sect was begun by a small breakaway faction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of begin
To balance the budget last year, Newsom and the Legislature halted Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants beginning in January, and imposed a $30 premium on those already enrolled, beginning in July 2027.
—
Andrew Graham
march 9, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Events leading up to the Los Angeles Football Club’s participation during last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup began with a protest by the winningest team in Costa Rican soccer, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
Any underwater aficionado will tell you that great snorkeling and diving begins with calm seas and thriving coral reefs.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
The new supreme leader had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war began.
—Cara Anna, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Andrew Graham
march 9, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Events leading up to the Los Angeles Football Club’s participation during last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup began with a protest by the winningest team in Costa Rican soccer, Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
Any underwater aficionado will tell you that great snorkeling and diving begins with calm seas and thriving coral reefs.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
The new supreme leader had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war began.
—Cara Anna, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for begin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for begin
Verb
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All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Spring football has commenced and reporters got a 35-minute window to watch Coleman and a host of new Longhorns who are out to make sure last season’s omission from the College Football Playoff was a one-off and not the start of a bad-for-business trend on the Forty.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sign up here to receive an email right as the chat is about to start.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
27 Mar. 2026
-
By mid-April a lot of good could start to roll in.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In San Antonio, Kornet quickly established himself again as one of the funniest guys in the locker room, as well as a valuable teammate on the court.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The six vacant buildings, which the county is leasing to establish the Los Angeles County Care Community, have been vacant since the early 2000s.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His point was that the abundant regeneration that Hanson shows off represents scorch, where heat opened the cones to release the multitude of seeds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The Heat opened Thursday’s game with a lineup of Davion Mitchell, Jakucionis, Larsson, Adebayo and Kel’el Ware.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last week, Iran’s president had claimed Tehran would stop striking its neighbors unless any attacks on Iran originated from those countries.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
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Mining and metals accounted for roughly 11% of global scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, with a large majority originating from Asia, highlighting the sector’s role as both a major emitter and a linchpin of the clean energy transition.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The county acted immediately after becoming aware of the video and initiated an investigation through the fraud unit of the California secretary of state’s office, said Erin Clausen, public information officer for the San Luis Obispo county clerk’s office.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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The officers pulled their cruiser in front of the vehicle and turned on their blue lights to initiate a traffic stop.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hence, any error arising from the admission of the cellphone evidence is harmless.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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When wealth moves directly into a founder’s personal name and only then is transferred into protective vehicles, the sequence can draw scrutiny if disputes arise.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Beyond, founded in 2009 and known primarily for its pea-protein burger patties and steaks, has had some turbulent times recently.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The 53-year-old Japanese designer, who founded cult label Number (N)ine in 1997, is relaunching the brand 15 years after stepping away from it.—
Ashley Ogawa Clarke,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Begin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/begin. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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